Four Fashion Designers On Why the Industry Should Stand Up for Immigrants

Fashion and politics have always been intertwined. But as the slew of political statementson the runways this spring indicates, the industry has embraced civic mindedness now more than ever. Since Donald Trump has taken office, one of the issues that has hit closest to home within the fashion community is his immigration policies: the border wall blocking Mexico and the "Muslim ban" executive order.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Considering that immigrants are involved in every corner of the industry, many are appalled at the rhetoric coming out of the White House. Here, four designers–three of them immigrants, one a child of immigrants–reflect on what immigrant identity means to them and what the fashion industry can and should do to stand up against xenophobia and racism.

PRABAL GURUNG

Born in Singapore, raised in Nepal and India.

Getty Images

The fabric of this nation is based on [the] history of immigrants. It is a country that's made of them, and it is also country that I decided to come [to] 17 years ago. I made a decision to come to America to pursue my dream of becoming a designer. I came because of the history associated with this country of immigrants: the American Dream. [There is] possibility here. You can come from a country like Nepal and make a name for yourself and eventually dress the First Lady of America and the Duchess of Cambridge. So that was the reason why I came here.

In a time like today, where there's an air of othering–you belong here, you don't belong here–the shirts [that] in my show were a gentle reminder to all of us that even if you were born here, your parents or grandparents, or great grandparents came here from somewhere. No one is free of that label "immigrant," which is really empowering because "immigrant" means that you made a decision to leave your loved ones to pursue your dreams, to make a name, for a better life–not just for yourself but your family.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Prabal as a child in Nepal.

Courtesy of the designer

I've been able to start a foundation back in Nepal that educates more than 300 children, and in the past five years, we've impacted more than 15,000 lives. As an immigrant who owns a business in New York City and with 90 percent of the collection made in New York, I am contributing to the economy of America. Sometimes we take for granted what we've received, but my motto in life is "nothing is handed to you." Anything that comes to you, success, failures, opportunity, everything, is a testament to your character. How are you going to react to it? What are you going to do with it? And how is it going to impact others?

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Prabal Gurung Fall/Winter 2017

Getty Images

[At the start of fashion week], I thought, here's a platform that I have. When I do a show, there's millions of eyes on me and my collection because of my work and the celebrities that come. Here's an opportunity to gently remind all of us that the only way change of any kind can happen [is] when there's a conversation of inclusion. It's as simple as that. And immigrants, minorities, women's rights, gay rights―everything is part of the conversation of inclusion.

I think it's important for us to realize it is no longer okay to just treat fashion as, 'oh it's an escape!'

In this day and age [in the] fashion industry, we all have our audiences because of Instagram. Whether it's one or 100 million, it doesn't matter. I think it's important for us to realize it is no longer okay to just treat fashion as, 'Oh it's an escape! Pretty clothes!' We need, in some way–whether through music, clothes, the models that you choose, the conversations that you have–to be aware of the fact that we are fortunate enough to pursue our passion, make a living, and create an audience and a platform. And it is extremely important, I feel, for all of us to be able to understand the platform we've created and use it for something other than just your brand or yourself. If we don't speak up, who will?

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

NAEEM KHAN

Born in India.

Getty Images

Immigrants are the backbones of the fashion industry. From production to design houses, fashion has been predominantly run by immigrant populations. Even today, you go down the list of designers, I would say 80 percent of designers are immigrants. It would impact the fashion industry tremendously if we don't have our voices heard.

It meant so much to me [to move to America]. It changed my life. And it's taken me 30 years of struggle to get where I am. I decided that I want to give back to this country for what it has done for me. And my new Miami initiative [to build a design studio and vocational school of fashion in Miami] is to bring back as many as possible jobs in this country. It's to see how we can have local industry. We need to really work hard towards building back the fashion production industry here in America.

Naeem Khan in 1980, one of his first years in the U.S.

Courtesy of the designer

To me, the "Muslim ban" was appalling. I understand, yes we need to protect America, but this is not the way to do it. There has to be a more educated, civilized way of putting policy together where it would not affect businesses, where it would not be discriminatory. We are being made to look like fools across the world. It's really not a great image for us. The "wall" is totally unrealistic. It is not worth the money. And it does not solve any of the issues of people coming into this country.

I literally had tears in my eyes when I was writing [the above Instagram post]. I wrote that with such emotion, because I really felt, deep in my heart, that what was happening was disgusting.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Here's the problem with our industry: We are pretty disjointed when it comes to having our voices heard. There is a fear within the fashion industry that the repercussions could be bad. I think this is a bigger problem. I think it's a matter of country, a matter of industry, a matter of integrity, and we need to have people to speak up.

I think it's a matter of country, a matter of industry, a matter of integrity, and we need to have people to speak up.

RECHO OMONDI

Parents were born in Kenya.

Courtesy

This is kind of a no-brainer, right? Anyone who's ever set foot in the garment district knows that we are totally dependent on the immigrants that work there. I'm talking the ground level: the pattern-makers, the sewers, the graders, anyone who knows anything about how clothing is actually made and shipped. You can't go into one factory without being in contact with an immigrant. Some of the best pattern-makers in New York City don't even speak English. The fashion industry is crucially dependent on them.

My father went to boarding school in Europe for the majority of his life and he came to the U.S. to get a job. He knew my mother in Kenya but they actually met in America, and she came here to work, too. Somehow they got together and had kids, and we're an extension of that story. My brand, Omondi, is about me, and my heritage is a part of me. I'm an American citizen born to immigrant parents. And I'm not the only one. I'm speaking to a generation of multicultural millennials whose global perspective informs their American lifestyle.

Growing up in the Midwest, it didn't surprise me that much that Trump won. I've lived in places that are not coastal. I never lived in the cool, urban cities. That was not my childhood. I grew up in Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan, and the middle of Illinois. My whole childhood was small, rural, white towns. I visited Kenya every year for a few months. I'm unique and special in a sense that I'm an African American. Not just in the colloquial sense, but I'm an American whose parents are African, and I spent a lot of time in those places.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Recho Omondi in Mombasa, Kenya in 2014.

Courtesy of the Designer

The fashion industry has to understand what racism is and where it comes from and what's at the root of it.

I say to everyone: Omondi is an all-American fashion brand, and that doesn't mean red, white, and blue stripes, and American Eagle, Tommy Hilfiger, and Abercrombie. I think that America needs to reconcile its understanding [of] what it is to be an American today. It's not just cherry pie and cowboy boots. At the end of the day, I think the "[Muslim] ban" perpetuates this idea that some people have a right to be here and some people don't. And that's a very poisonous idea for our nation.

The fashion industry has to understand what racism is and where it comes from. Because too often, we hear words like "diversity" and "representation" and "inclusion" used as a form of combatting racism. That's not the issue. Representation is not the issue. We're out here. It's about the fact that a lot of people still don't understand where racism is coming from. It's not an American phenomenon, it's a global phenomenon. So that's the first step, for people to do the work and try to educate themselves. You're not going to know how to fix it if you don't even know what you're fighting.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

SACHIN ALHUWALIA, Sachin & Babi

Born in India.

Getty Images

Most of my friends in the fashion industry are immigrants like myself. I came here as a student. I had to work very hard—it was a very long struggle for me and my wife [and co-designer, Babi] to become a citizen in this country. When we were going through the process, it was the only thing we could think about. We wanted to make this [country] our home. This was where we wanted to raise our children. The day we were actually sworn in, it was very emotional because that was the passing of a different phase of our life. Babi cried that day because it was such an important thing for us.

For years, the one thing that I always looked toward was the feeling of inclusion. I've lived most of my adult life in New York City, more years than I've lived in India. This is home. And what I've heard in the past year [in politics] has been very disturbing. It was a determined effort for both Babi and me to make this our home, and to this day we take nothing for granted. We feel very privileged to be citizens in this country. We take great tremendous amount of pride in calling ourselves Americans because we had to work very hard to get to this point.

Sachin and Babi in 1998, four years after they met as students at FIT in New York

Courtesy of the designers

I think it will always be very emotional to any immigrant who hears this rhetoric about "illegal aliens" and "Muslim bans." A lot of hard-working people from all over the world want to come to this country. Once you're here and you work hard, it pays off. This country gives it back to you. And when you see that language being distorted and those principles being altered in the highest office, it's very disturbing.

For me, for years, the one thing that I always looked towards was the feeling of inclusion.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Half my team are immigrants. Some of them came when they were as young as five years old, some as grown adults. Whenever I go through the process of hiring somebody, I notice that the level of determination that an immigrant has. The glare in their eyes says, "Give me a shot. I'll show you what I can do." And you cannot discount that. There is no entitlement there. And that's who I was 15 years ago when I came to this country. I just needed someone to give me one shot and open the door slightly for me. And I would push through and persevere.

I think people in our industry [can help], whether you're doing a show or whether you're able to talk to the media. Even through conversations with friends and colleagues. But to me, it can't be from a point of aggression. I've sat at too many dinner tables where people have had screaming matches. Calling names just makes matters worse. Anytime I'm put in that situation I'm very mindful that I'm able to compose myself and put a valid argument in front of the other person. Simply calling someone names, racist, a bigot, in my opinion, is not going to solve anything. If they feel differently because of the color of my skin or because I'm an immigrant, I think it's more a matter of having a conversation and educating them and letting them know why it's wrong to think that way.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
ELLE participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.